Mysuru: An eerie silence prevails at the Dera Sacha Sauda Ashrama in Mysuru as a few followers of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh were present at the complex ever since the verdict was to come out from the Special CBI Court yesterday. Even after the verdict that convicted the spiritual guru was pronounced in the evening, his Mysuru ashram remained peaceful. Not taking any chances, the Police had beefed up security at the Ashrama.

Anticipating violence following the verdict, the city Police rushed to the Ashrama near Siddalingapura on the Bengaluru-Mysuru National Highway along with teams from Garuda, City Armed Reserve and Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP). Over 50 policemen are stationed at the Ashrama.

The Police team, led by Metagalli Inspector Sunil Kumar and Narasimharaja Inspector Jayakumar sealed the entry and exit to the Ashrama and turned away a few devotees who had come there. Some devotees who wanted to come out of the Ashrama too were asked to remain inside the premises.

Police sources said that there were many Dera Sacha Sauda followers in Mysuru and a crowd would have gathered if the conviction did not happen. Since he was convicted of rape, many followers have decided to remain indoors, sources said.

PRARTHANA MANDIR

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s Siddalingapura Ashrama is called “Prarthana Mandir” and is built on a 2.5-acre land at Kalasthawadi on the Mysuru-Bengaluru state highway and located opposite the popular Subramanya temple, where hundreds of devotees throng daily. The Ashrama is well-enclosed by an eight-foot wall with one entrance. The huge prayer hall in the centre is a tall structure and visible from the highway.

It may be recalled here that following complaints, the Revenue Department, in 2008, had taken a decision to demolish the Ashrama as reports said that it was illegally built on agricultural land without alienation. Revenue Department officials had said that the construction was in violation of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act 1964.

To use agricultural land for purposes other than agriculture, the person concerned should get the land alienated. Is this case, the person concerned had failed to get the land alienated after purchasing it from a resident of Paduvarahalli, and hence the construction was illegal, the officials had said. “The structure is fit for demolition,” they had added and a report to this effect had been submitted to the Deputy Commissioner.

MYSURU VISIT IN 2008

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, facing a threat to life, had visited the Siddalingapura Ashrama on June 21, 2008 under tight security. The Dera Chief, who has been provided Z-plus security under a directive from the Union Home Ministry, along with his own bodyguards had come to his Ashrama from Bengaluru. Intelligence reports predicted that there was a threat to his life if he immediately returned to New Delhi.

The Karnataka Police had escorted the Dera Chief and an accompanying group of 50 followers to Mysuru from Bengaluru by road after he landed at the Kempegowda International Airport from Pune. The spiritual leader feared threat to his life from a section of Sikh groups opposed to his sect.

The sect’s head was advised by the Bengaluru Police not to proceed to New Delhi as they apprehended a threat to his life on the basis of intelligence reports. For his safety, the State Police had decided to bring him to Mysuru. He, however, left Mysuru to New Delhi after a day.